Drying-machine



T. ALLSOP AND W. W. SIBSON.

DRYING M CHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPTA, 1919.

Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

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T. ALLSOP AND W. W. SIBSON.

DRYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-4,1919

Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

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INVENTORS: Thomas fljlsopsf ZUa/zer 1115113501;

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T. ALLSOP AND W. W. SIBSON.

DRYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED sE,PT.4, 1919.

Patented N 0v. 30, 1920.

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INVENTOR: T homas flilsop 55 Walter ZZZ 5 7275011),

ATTORNEYS.

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THOMAS ALLSOP AND WALTER W. SIBSON, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOBS TO THE PHILADELPHIA DRYING MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

DRYING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

Application filed September 4, 1919. Serial No. 321,566.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THoMAs Armor and WALTER W. SIBSON, citizens of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drying-Machines, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to drying machines ordinarily known as the tunnel type, and more especially to that class of such machines particularly adapted for drying china, porcelain or similar products of manufacture, but which may be employed with equal advantage for other purposes.

The invention is directed to a drying machine interiorly divided into a series of zonal sections through which the articles, to be dried, are successively advanced, and in which it is possible to maintain difierent atmospheric conditions, so that the drying may be eifected in a gradual manner.

The invention is further directed to means whereby the drying medium is circulated in opposite directions in alternate zonal divisions of the apparatus.

The invention also comprehends means whereby the velocity of drying medium may be varied in the several zonal sections.

The structure whereby we attain these ends will be better understood from the detailed description which follows.

Figure I, is a side elevation of a drying machine conveniently embodying our invention.

Fig. II, is a cross sectional elevation of the same as viewed in the direction of the arrows II-II, in Fig. I; and

Fig. III, is a plan sectional View of a.

portion of the machine. Fig. IV, is a side elevation similar to Fig. I, of a modified form of our invention.

The structure herein represented com prises an extensive inclosure 1, having the cross sectional configuration shown in Fig. II. The interior is arranged to provide a longitudinal main or drying chamber 2, which traverses the structure from end to end, and occupies a central position between auxiliary side compartments 3 and 4. A horizontal by-passage 5, separated from the main chamber 2, by a sub-ceiling 6,

serves to connect the side compartments 3 and Compartment 3, is directly communlcatlve with the main chamber 2, but the compartment 4, is distinctly separated from the latter by a vertical partition 7, which, at its top, joins the end of the sub-ceiling {5. A serles of rotary fans 8, set in openlngs 9, of the vertical partition 7, are functional in circulating the air laterally of the structure in the general direction of the arrows 1n Fig. II, 2;. 6., across the main chamber 2, into the auxiliary compartment 3, from which it returns by way of the by passage 5, to the back of the fans 8, in compartment 4. If desired the circulation may be obviously efi'ected in the opposite direction by reversing the rotation of the fans.

The goods to be dried are progressed through the main chamber, in the direction of the arrows in Fig. III, preferably under the support of wheeled trucks l0. serially arranged in parallel rows, and guided upon rails 12, traversing the structure l0ngitudi-- nally. At its ends, the chamber is provided with suitable doors 13, and 14. respectively, which inay be of any approved design so as to be readily operable to permit the quick interchange of trucks. In the present instance, the capacity of the chamber 2, is such as to conveniently accommodate three rows of carrier trucks, but this number may he obviously varied according to the exigencies of practice. The trucks are pro- .vided with transverse end walls 11, (see Fig. III), which, by -alinement, cooperate to automatically divide the chamber 2, into a series of cross channels. The air circulation is thus more definitely restricted to the lateral course shown by the arrows. In

order to prevent short circuiting of the air beneath the truck floors, we have provided the structure at the sides of the main chamher with longitudinally extending guards 15 and 16, the latter being extended horizontally to the fan partition as indicated at sides of the main chamber so as to be as close as possible to the. outside series of the carrier trucks. These heating coils are separately regulatable by means of hand valves her, the side compartment and the by-passage are co-extensive in forming a single comprehensive circulatory unit.

In other instances, for example in the treatment of china, porcelain or crockery products, in order to effect an even drylng, it is especially desirable that the goods in passing through the machine, be subjected to the influence of the drying medium first from one direction and then from the other.

This condition We obtain primarily by rotatlng the fans in opposite directions, in alternate relation along the series, preferably in oups as best shown in Fig. I.

he driving system by which this is acpomplished may be briefly described as folows:

An overhead drive shaft 25, traknsmits power through belts to a number of relay pulley shafts 26, which in turn drive directly the leading fan in each of the groups. The first four fans, at the right hand or receiving end of the machine, (Fig. I) are preferably driven in the same direction for a purpose which will be presently described.

he succeeding groups are alternately driven in opposite directions respectively by crossed and open belts 27 and 28, as clearly illustrated in Fig. I. 1

In order to positively restrict the circulation of the several fan groups to positive and definite zones, along the length of the apparatus, the auxiliary compartments 3, 4, and the connecting by-passage 5, have been subdivided by transverse partitions 29, equally spaced preferably at distances corresponding to multiples of standard truck lengths,- so that as the truck series are brought to a rest position within the drying compartment, said partitions always register with certain of the vertical ends 11, and in this way assist in the crow channeling of the structure.

From Figw-IH, a will be further ob served that the grouping of the individually controllable heating and humidifying devices is such that variously dilferent atmospheric conditions may be maintained in the several zonal divisions of the structure.

In operation, as new units are added to the truck series, the several rows are bodily advanced, thereby changing the positions of the preceding units. 11 this way the trucks are gradually advanced from one circulatory zone to another, and as a result the goods are subjected to the heated an currents first In other .words a structure in which the main chamter than the others. The circulation at this point is therefore rendered more sluggish. and as a consequence, a higher degree of humidity may be maintained at the beginning of the drying operation, so that the ini tially introduced wet materials are given an opportunity to heat up very slowly preparatory to being advancedto regions of higher temperatures in the succeeding zonal divisions of the apparatus; This provision acts to retard the drying of the outer surfaces of the material, so that the moisture may more readily work its way out from the interior. This is of utmost importance in drying wares of the kind hereinbefore mentioned and serves to prevent the warping or cracking of the materials which usually results from unequal internal strains, caused by uneven drying.

The same results as those just described may be obtained by using fans of the same diameter throughout the structure, but driving those of the initial zonal section at a slower rate of speed.

Such a construction is shown in Fig. IV, where it will be seen that the fans 30, 30, in the initial zone section are of the same diameter as the fans 8, in the other portions of the machine but driven at a slower rate of speed. This is accomplished by means of a belt- 31, running over a small pulley on the shaft 25, and actuating a comparatively larger pulley 32, on the shaft of the end fan. In this way, it will be seen that the air in the initial section of the zonal series is propelled at a very much slower rate than in the others so as to bring about the elfect hereinbefore set forth.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A drying machine comprising an extensive inclosure having a longitudinal main chamber adapted to accommodate the articles to be dried; a co-extensive auxiliary compartment at each side of the central or main chamber; and a co-extensive horizontal bypassage connecting said auxiliary compartments; in combination with propelling means disposed at intervals along the length of the inclosure and adapted to circulate the air laterally thereof between the main chamber and the auxiliary compartments over zonal courses completed by the horizontal connecting by-passage.

2. A drying mac e comprising an extensive inclosure having a longitudinal main chamber adapted toaccommodate the articles to be dried; a co-extensive auxiliary compartment at each side of the main chamber; and a co-extensive horizontal by-pas sage connecting said auxiliary compartments; in combination with propelling means disposed at intervals along the length of the inclosure, and alternately arranged to circulate the air laterally thereof in opposite directions between the main chamber and the auxiliary compartments over zonal courses completed by the horizontal connect ing by-passage.

3. A drying machine comprising an extensive inclosure having a longitudinal main chamber adapted to accommodate the articles to be dried; a co-extensive auxiliary compartment at each side of the central or main chamber; a co-extensive horizontal bypassage connecting said auxiliary compartments; and transverse partitions subdividing said auxiliary compartments and the connecting by-passage into a series of zonal sections lengthwise of the inclosure; in combination with individual means for circulating the air laterally through the main chamber within the confines of each zonal section.

4. A drying machine comprising an extensive inclosure having a longitudinal main chamber adapted to accommodate the articles to be dried; a co-extensive auxiliary compartment at each side of the central or main chamber; a co-extensive horizontal passage connecting said auxiliary compartments; transverse partitions subdividing said auxiliary compartments and the connecting passage into a series of zonal sections along the length of the inclosure; in combination with means for circulating the air in opposite directions in alternate zonal sections in a direction laterally of the inclosure and between the main chamber and the auxiliary side compartments. 4

5. A drying machine comprising an extensive inclosure subdivided into a main chamber adapted to receive one or more rows of trucks or carriers for the articles to be dried, said trucks havingvertical ends by which the chamber is divlded into a number of lateral channels; an auxiliary heating compartment at each side of the main chamber; a co-extensive horizontal by-passage connecting said auxiliary compartments; transverse partitions subdividing said heating compartments and the connecting bypassages into a series of zonal sections lengthwise of the inclosure, said partitions registering with certain of the vertical truck ends; in combination with individual means for circulating the air laterally of the machine within the confines of each of the zonal sections.

6. A drying machine comprising an extensive inclosure; means fordividing said inclosure lengthwise'into a series of zonal sections through which the articles to be dried are successively passed; individual means for maintaining different degrees of heat and humidification in said zonal sections; means for circulating the air within the inclosure; and means whereby the circulation in the initial section of the zonal series may be rendered more sluggish than in the others, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

7. A drying machine comprisin an extensive inclosure; means for divi ing said inclosure lengthwise into a series of zonal sections through whichthe articles to be dried are successively passed; individual means for maintaining different degrees of heat and humidification in said zonal sections; and rotary fans for circulating the air in said zonal sections, the fans in the initial section of the series being of smaller diameter than the others, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto signed our names at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this second day of September, 1919.

THOMAS ALLSOP. WALTER W. SIBSON.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. BELL, E. L. FULLERTON. 

